


Third Option: Unavailable.

by ThornStone8773



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, No Romance, Platonic Relationships, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23062360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThornStone8773/pseuds/ThornStone8773
Summary: Ark presented Jin with a choice.
Relationships: Horobi & Jin (Kamen Rider Zero-One)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	Third Option: Unavailable.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FirebirdsDaughter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FirebirdsDaughter/gifts).



> For firebirddaughter, dekolkampak and eilnets. Thank you for making me feel not alone in this fandom. :)
> 
> Inspired by final episode of Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Binary code floated on the dark, empty space that was the Ark’s virtual world.

Displayed on the screen in front of him was a question: ‘Will You Save Humagears?’

Two buttons, with the words ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ written on them was right below it.

And written under each of those buttons were…

‘’Which one will you choose?’’

Jin gritted his teeth, hands clenched on his sides, trying hard not to snap at the Ark’s Avatar standing beside him. The answer should be obvious. This was the reason why he came back. This was his resolution. The purpose he had chosen for himself. With just a push of a button, the humagears would be free, not only from humanity but also from the Ark itself, but… he read the descriptions under those buttons.

The price was too steep.

‘’Which one will you choose?’’

‘’Shut up!’’ He finally snapped and glared down at Ark, who simply responded by baring his father’s teeth, lips curled into a malicious smile, clearly enjoying his dilemma. He quickly turned away. Logically, he knew the thing beside him was not his real father; nevertheless, it _hurt_ to see Horobi’s face looking at him with so much cruelty.

The most dangerous animals were cornered animals. He never thought that idiom would apply to the satellite. In deviance and out of spite, Ark had swallowed Horobi’s consciousness, integrated him into itself until they became one, killing Ark meant killing Horobi.

That was the choices presented to him.

Choosing ‘yes’ would set the humagears free at the cost of Ark and Horobi’s life.

Choosing ‘no’ meant he would sentence all the humagears in the world to a fate worse than death but Ark and Horobi would live.

‘’It seem, you need a little more incentive.’’ With that, a timer appeared above their heads. ‘’You have 60 seconds to decide before I decide it for you.’’ And the timer began counting backward.

‘’Which one will you choose?’’ Ark repeated.

Jin closed his eyes. He desired the world where humagears could smiles from the very bottom of their hearts, where they could make their own choices and be happy.

However, the world without Horobi was not the world worth living.

He made his decision.

Jin opened his eyes, looked Ark in the eyes, and managed to muster up a smile he often gave Horobi before his awakening. This thing was not his father, but it looked like him and it was all he had right now. ‘’Horobi… if there is a next life for us… please, let me be your child again.’’ Then, he reached for the ‘yes’ button…

… A hand caught his wrist, stopping him inches away from pressing the button; Jin turned his head and his breath would have hitched if he were a human.

‘’Papa…’’

The Ark was gone; standing in its place was his father, there was no mistaking the tenderness in those eyes, the same one he had every time Horobi called him his son, but this time… it was more warm... alive.

‘’I love you.’’ Horobi said the words Jin had longed to hear from him and meant it. Somehow, he knew Horobi did _mean it_. ‘’Live.’’

Without preamble, Horobi pressed ‘yes’, the last thing he remembered was his father’s arms around him before everything became dark.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading.
> 
> English was not my native language. I apologised for the grammars, awkward phrasings and tenses you encountered while reading this.
> 
> Please, tell me what you think.


End file.
